Find Someone Who's Turning
by panictowel
Summary: Blaise develops a minor drug addiction when he’s on the run from his family with Draco. Ginny can’t seem to hold onto relationships and is in search of a roommate. And the meeting of their dissimilar worlds can only produce one possible outcome. G/B/D
1. Chapter 1

***Important Update (Dec. 09):  
**_hullo dear readers,  
__some people may love the news, I certainly do: __this story is under construction + temporarily paused because of this construction.  
__it's completely the author's fault, and as much as she hates it when authors do things like that to their readers it's unavoidable now. (better sooner than later, she wanted to say, but it's late anyway, so it really just sucks.)  
__for an explanation see pathetic lines below._

***pathetic-lines-below*  
**_'as I said above, I don't like it when authors do this, so sorry. but i'm very unhappy with the fic as it is and dumdumdum to make a long story short: it was the first fanfic I posted, it was rushed, the background not properly thought through, plot holes developed while posting and are now hindering the story to go where i've planned for it to go. (the last chapters were attempts of saving the story somehow, but they failed. arrggghh) __so now I've decided to give it a make-over and hopefully soon-ish (motivation, where art thou) re-post the first chapters with the (small) changes so we can finally continue the story, the real thing. _

_as I keep getting reader-alert mails (huh), I thought I'd put this up here. so, now you're informed and know why updates will be delayed._

_very sorry for the inconvenience.  
__thanks for reading.  
__xo_

_ps.: if there's something about this fic you found utterly ridiculous/annoying/stupid/weird – you are very welcome to tell me about it. (or tell me/ask something else)  
__pps.: you're allowed anonymous comments, if that makes it easier to be honest ;-) __(please remember, I can't reply to these)  
__(ppps.: put this note up on the first and last-posted chapter; don't know where people read it.)  
_***End of Important Update***

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**gray-eyed Athena: thank you very much for being my beta, this story would be nothing without your help.**

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Chapter 1

The weather was abysmal. They had just managed to slip away unnoticed from some of their parents' 'so-called' friends and were about to plan further steps for their newborn freedom, when they were greeted by laughter – or rather tears from the sky above. To say that the rain was heavy would have been an understatement.

An hour before, they had met at a secret spot in the forest to discuss their current situation:

"You know where and when to meet, if they come." It was more a demand than a question.

"Yes," came the simple answer.

After a few moments of silence the blond started speaking again.

"I can't stay at Severus' place anymore. They will notice sooner or later, and then he will be in trouble, because of us…" the blond boy said, while watching the dark forest for any sign of movement.

"Actually not thinking about yourself for a second there?" The taller one smirked slightly and raised an eyebrow, moving his wand about silently. The blond glared at his companion, choosing to ignore his comment, and continued on.

"…and they will have an easy go at finding us. He can't say anything, or they will suspect him and he'll lose his status. He can't risk that. They would find us in the end and my life would be fucked up even more."

"Ah, back to being self-absorbed as usual," observed the young wizard, blithely.

The blond wizard did not even flinch at the insult. "So, we need a plan."

"Yes, I quite agree to that. I really can't continue sleeping through every single female household in London, just because I need a place to stay and you're not up to sharing."

"Having certain problems?" Now it was the fair-haired wizard's turn to smirk, as he glanced in a southerly direction on other boy's body. The taller boy merely smirked at this, keeping his cool mask perfectly in place upon his face.

"I can assure you, everything is working fine. I'm sure I could teach you a thing or two…"

"Shut it already."

"…whenever you want."

"Shut it!" hissed the blond, standing up and listening into the dark, while taking a firm hold on his wand.

After a few seconds of listening to utter silence, it became apparent that the only things moving in the moonlight were the ominous clouds above the two runaways.

Their eyes met, and both stared attentively at one another while they listened to their surroundings. After a few more moments, it seemed safe enough for them to return to their conversation. Both young wizards let out a breath they had not noticed holding and continued, though much quieter than before.

"Where were we?" asked the blond, sitting back down with a frown etched across his face, annoyed with the circumstances.

"You wanted me to teach you how to…"

"We need a plan," reiterated the blond, disregarding whatever his dark-haired friend had begun to say. He contemplated the situation for a few minutes, allowing his mind to sift through all the options.

Then he suddenly snorted and said, "We should almost go to Potter and his stupid friends; they would never think to find us there." He let out a small laugh, obviously picturing himself getting covered by his enemy. Or was Potter his enemy?

"That's… good!" responded the taller wizard, sitting up straighter at the thought. His eyebrows knitted while thinking.

"I was joking," said the blond, cross with his friend's unexpected reaction.

"No, think! That would be the last place they'd go looking for us. And we would have time to think about our next move! It's our best option."

"Yes, you're right, we'll just march on up to the Weasley's, knock on their door and ask if they would be so kind as to let us live there for a few weeks, as we are unfortunately being followed by Death Eaters who are likely to obliterate everything in their way to get us. Meanwhile, we would be drinking tea with the Golden Trio and baking cookies for Granger's bloody cat. Sure, good plan. Let's go."

"Damn. I forgot the cat. You're right, the plan is ruined."

The blond glared at the dark-haired boy, which looked amused and spoke again with a shrug. "It's the best plan we have."

"No, it's the only plan we have," admitted the other, annoyed.

"Right."

"And why are you being so calm about it?" asked the blond, still irritated. His friend was obviously hiding something from him, which was not helping his mood.

"I have my reasons."

"Spit it out already." At this, the other wizard just smirked and winked at him.

"Oh…please don't tell me you're in love with the Weasel." The dark-haired boy laughed out loud at this.

"Better than fancying scarhead." The blond snorted.

"So, what is it already?" demanded the fair-haired wizard after a few moments of sharing ridiculous jokes – it seemed odd to experience such a fleeting moment of fun in such a serious situation.

The dark-haired boy slipped a hand in his pocket and fished out a small bottle, tossing it to him.

"A potion?" The blond raised one eyebrow suspiciously.

"Mother took it," he answered with a shrug, as if this was a satisfactory excuse.

"Right, but if I remember correctly, she got slightly addicted to shit like this."

"So."

"And you don't think that will happen to you too, idiot?"

"I'm not overdoing it."

"Sure." The blond muttered and then continued, when he noticed his friend hadn't heard, "So. Are you depressed or something?" he asked, feeling awkward at the personal moment between them. It was not like they shared them often; they kept their problems to themselves and tried not to let too much emotion show through their masks.

"I would certainly be, if I left my home and family and was in fear for my life, wouldn't I?"

The blond didn't answer, but stood up and starting pacing. Didn't he notice the seriousness of the situation? Maybe he would jeopardize their potential for freedom when he was in this state. It was possible that he would misjudge situations and not act properly and hence endanger their lives. Stupid.

"You can have some if you want to." His friend's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"You're pathetic." He spat out, turning on his heel and walked away.

"I'm carefree," the other corrected, lying back and looking up at the moon, which glowed through the dark clouds now and then. A raindrop hit his forehead, right above his left eyebrow.

That was the moment the Death Eaters choose to attack.

A ray of green light shot at his head, but he managed to roll to the side at the last second and call out for his friend.

"Draco!" He was not able to search for him, as he tried to hide and fight back against the hooded figures, while the rain intensified.

"DRACO! DAMN IT!!" He shouted a few spells and hit two of the attackers. Suddenly there was an uncomfortable silence, with only the sound of the hammering rain to fill the black void of the once-secret spot in the forest.

He let his eyes search the dark, but could only see a pair of bodies lying on the damp ground, the two Death Eaters that he had struck down.

Then he felt it. Something thin was pressing against his neck and before he could act, he heard a deep voice.

"Where is he?" The young wizard licked his dry lips, before answering.

"I don't know who you're talking about." He said boldly and felt the wand press further into his skin.

"STOP acting stupid; it doesn't suit you. Now, where's my son?" He could see no way out of this, and was contemplating his next futile move, when another ray of light shot through the air.

"CRUCIO!"

"Fuck, Blaise!"

He felt the wand leave his neck the moment after the curse was cast, and he instinctively leapt in the direction from which he had heard Draco's voice. Turning, Blaise could see a dark figure lying on the ground, writhing slightly. He felt Draco's presence beside him, and he glanced over to see the blond wizard soaked through, rain dripping from the ends of his light-coloured hair. Draco was staring dispassionately at the wizard on the ground, his father. Blaise didn't know what to say, so he remained silent, wishing they could leave the forest.

"Come on," said Draco after a few more seconds, as his father was regaining consciousness. The spell had been surprisingly strong, and Draco had not been conscious of having this power (or hate) in him, as much as he disliked his father.

He was about to Disapparate, when a hand abruptly grabbed his arm, stopping him. Draco drew his wand at this automatically, but relaxed slightly, when he saw to whom the arm was attached.

"I can't," said Blaise, clearly uncomfortably, still holding on to Draco's arm.

"What? This is not the time for your stupid jokes, you better…"

"Side effects." Blaise interrupted quickly, knowing they didn't have much time for lengthy conversation.

"You're telling me this _now_?" Draco said incredulously, looking mad, knowing full well what he was talking about. Then he nodded, let out an annoyed sigh, and holding on to his friend, they Disapparated.

When they appeared in an abandoned alley, Draco quickly directed them to behind a brick wall, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.

"We'll have another go, in case they knew where we Apparated to." Blaise just nodded and continued to hold onto Draco.

They Disapparated again and found themselves on a dark street, rain dumping down on them once more, old buildings rising up in front of them.

"Where they hell did you take us?" shouted Blaise through the noise of the weather.

"I don't know, I just tried to get us to bloody Potter!" Draco shouted back.

"Potter after all, eh?"

"Where the hell are we?" Draco ignored Blaise once more, searching for a street sign or any indication of their location.

"Grimmauld… something… I can't read it, it's too dark," declared Blaise, pointing to a street sign down the alley.

"Let's get out of here!" And they Disapparated again, just a second before someone looked out of a window, which one couldn't see from the street.

"What is it?" Sirius asked.

"I just thought I saw..."

"What?" Sirius got op from his chair and walked over to stand beside Harry and looked down at the dark and wet street.

"Nothing. Never mind… Uh, I'm hungry already!"

"Me too, should we really wait for Moony?" Sirius said, smirking at his godson.

"Let's give him five more minutes." Sirius nodded, but sighed, and then he let himself fall back down in his chair.

"Is it tomorrow that Ginny's throwing this farewell party?" he then asked, trying to get his mind off of his protesting stomach.

"Yep."

"And why wasn't I invited?" he said, trying to look grievously hurt.

"Because you don't know her friend, who is moving out, anyway. AND," he hurried to continue, when he saw Sirius mouth open, "she says she can't have you seducing her girlfriends because she wouldn't listen to their moaning, when you leave them for another." Harry concluded, grinning.

"Ginny knows too much." Sirius said with another mock pained look.

"She's just trying to protect her friends. …and NO!" he continued quickly, when Sirius started to speak again.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Mom, I have to go! Colin still needs to get some packing done, and I promised him I'd be home soon." Ginny pleaded, knowing fully well her mom wouldn't let her go unless she had something important to do.

"Alright, alright! But let me pack some of the dessert for you two, I know how Colin loves those cakes." And her mom was off to the kitchen, leaving Ginny with her father, the twins and Ron in the living room.

"I can't sleep here every time I come for dinner." She grinned at her dad, knowing he understood.

"But it's so nice every time, and you get proper breakfast when you wake up." Her mother's voice came from the kitchen.

"Hey! Colin is a good cook!"

"But he is moving out now, honey. And you still need to eat."

"I can make food myself, mom!" At this they just heard some mumbling from outside the kitchen.

"She just likes you being home now and then. You know how she is," Arthur said with a comforting smile to his daughter.

"I know," responded Ginny, smiling back.

"Yeah, Ginny! Stop strolling the streets at night and come home at a human hour!" the twins shouted, ducking away from the pillow she sent their way.

"There you go, honey," declared her mom as she returned to the living room and handed Ginny the packet, stroking her hair and shoulder.

"You'll let us know immediately, when you find a new roommate, alright?"

"Yes, mom."

"Yeah, Ginny; let us know! But only if it's a female. And especially if it's two females." Came the voice from the twin's direction. This time Molly grabbed the can before it flew away.

"And you must promise to bring him or her to dinner then, so we get to know them," commanded the Weasley matriarch.

"Yes, mom." Ginny was getting her jacket. It was hopeless to discuss this with her mother, but she somewhat understood her stance. Mom just wanted to know her only daughter was in good company.

"Bye, dad! Bye, mom!" She gave them all a quick kiss on the cheek and was about to Disapparate, when the twins shouted once more.

"Hey, what about your brothers?"

"Aren't we worth a goodnight kiss?"

"After all we did for you!" they proclaimed, feigning disbelief. Ginny grinned.

"Of course, sorry. I was going to say goodbye now." She walked over to them.

"If it was 'now', you would already be home," Fred stated, pointing an accusatory finger at her. Both lanky wizards leaned down to offer their cheeks, and Ginny mischievously licked them quickly and then fled, laughing merrily. Her mother halted her escape by seizing her shoulders, and then sent Fred and George a noxious look, which prevented any retaliation.

Turning Ginny around so that she could look into her eyes, Molly repeated once more in a serious and quiet tone, so none but Arthur and her youngest child could hear:

"Promise me."

"I promise." Ginny nodded and smiled at her parents. Then, she took a step back and Disapparated to her apartment.

-

"Colin, I'm back!" Ginny shouted throughout the apartment, closing the door behind her.

"Hey Ginny, I found some boxers!" Colin shouted back and waved with a pair of blue boxers as she entered the living room.

"Yes, thank you for asking. The dinner was nice," responded Ginny, ignoring his bizarre welcome and starting packing some of the last things in boxes, which Colin had sorted out.

"Did you bring something?" he asked curiously, forgetting the underwear for a second.

"Since when do you have blue boxers? I thought all of them were either…"

"They are not mine," he stated, raising his eyebrows and grinning.

"Then who… Oh." Ginny stopped packing and realised what he was on about.

"So? Who is he? Do I know him? How long have you been…"

"Too many questions!" she interrupted, and starting packing again, trying to hum a song to smooth over the moment. Unfortunately none came to her mind.

"Come on, tell me! At the very least his name!" Colin urged.

"Uhhh! Fine. It was Jack or John or something like that. But it's over, so don't start buying bridesmaid dresses; you're not going to be one," she declared, ducking as the boxers went flying in her direction.

"Oh…" now it was Colin's turn to realise something, and he abruptly asked in an annoyed voice, "So what was wrong with him? Did he snore too loud or did he want to make breakfast for you?"

"Don't start being so sarcastic. You know I am…"

"…relationship incapable."

"…not into… What?!"

"Nothing."

"Yes, you said something!"

"Oh, you mean the absolutely evident truth? I just said you are unable to hold onto a relationship."

"I _am_ able to…"

"For _more_ than a week." At this Ginny opened her mouth and closed it again, glaring angry at Colin.

"It's okay," he said, laughing.

"Obviously not." She mumbled, which made Colin sigh, so he went to her and pulling her into a comforting hug.

"Listen, it's okay, if you feel badly about it. I just don't think…"

"What? You don't think what?" she pulled away from him, to look him in the eyes.

"I just mean… You are not the type for this. Every time a decent man steps into your life, you seem happy at first, but then you build up some kind of wall and shut him out."

"That is just because they are never the kind of men I want to share the rest of my life with. I'm just being particular; what's so wrong with that?"

Colin smiled at her.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong with that. But maybe you should give these men a chance; you won't know if they are the right ones if you throw them out of your life after only a few days."

"Listen. I don't want to _get used to_ a man, if I want to spend 'the rest of my life' with him," with this statement, Ginny rolled her eyes, and then continued "I want us to get along from the start. And I don't want to think about it; I want myself to know that it's right. I must feel it. And now you got me into all this romantic trash again!! Ugh, Colin!"

Colin ducked as Ginny whacked him with a pillow and starting laughing.

"I. Don't. Need. A. Man!" With every word she beat him jokingly with the pillow and had to start grinning herself, when she suddenly stopped and looked dumbfounded at the soft thing in her hand.

"Hey! That's mine! Were you going to steal that?" she finally asked.

"I was going to try." Another hit. "But I'm not going to, if you finally give me a cake," coaxed Colin.

They spent the rest of the evening and night eating cakes from Ginny's mom, gathering and packing Colin's remaining belongings, and just enjoying their last evening together before the big farewell party the next night.

-

The party was rocking. All their friends had come to the club Ginny had chosen and were having a brilliant time. Ginny and Colin had been a bit sad at the beginning, but the mood had lightened when they promised each other to visit frequently. The biggest surprise of the night had been Colin's announcement that he would be going travelling for three months with his new girlfriend, the very same witch he was moving in with. Colin was notorious for being unable to keep a secret, so apparently this girl really meant something for him and Ginny was happy for them.

"But three whole months!! What am I going to do without you?" Ginny shouted over the music to Colin, who was beginning to get slightly drunk.

"You'll manage, but if you want a task, then find a man and keep him until I get back." Colin grinned at her and received a friendly slap at the back of his head from his former roommate.

"Now you finally have a girlfriend – isn't that enough long-term relationship for you?" Ginny laughed, but got interrupted by Harry, who took hold of her shoulder as not to loose her in the crowd.

"Hey Ginny, we're moving this to the pub Hermione told us about. Just so you know where to find us." He shouted.

"Alright, thanks. Colin has to go soon anyway; they have to get up early for their journey. See you there then!" she smiled back at Harry, who nodded and turned to wriggle himself through to the others. Ginny turned back to Colin and they spent an hour more saying their goodbyes.

-

"Great. And where the bloody hell are we now?!" Blaise almost shouted, running a slightly trembling hand through his hair, messing it up. He and Draco looked up and down the dark street. They could see a few people walking through it and hear loud music coming from one of the houses.

"How the hell should I know? I keep trying to find Potter…" at this Blaise shook his head, "…which was _your_ idea and we keep ending up on streets I never have seen in my life!" Draco was furious. What the hell was going wrong here? A thought hit him.

"At least it's not raining," growled Blaise, searching for something – or a certain thing – in his pockets.

"This is your fault!"

"Excuse me?" Blaise let his eyes flicker towards Draco, then turned to his pockets again.

"You're concentrating on something else and that's why we're ending up in odd places instead of Potter's."

"I'm not… this is ridiculous! Where… UGH!!" He had finally found what he was looking for, but was now fighting with the cover. Draco watched the scene in front of him a few more seconds, then decided against keeping his patience.

"I'm leaving." Draco turned around, starting to return to the alley, which led away from the open street.

"What? You're… Where to?" Blaise began to run after him.

"I don't know!" shouted Draco, angrily, turning around facing Blaise.

"You can't just leave, I need your help!" Blaise tried not to sound too desperate.

"You need help, yes. But not mine." Draco said simply and before he turned to Disapparate, he nodded at Blaise and, trying to sound somehow comfortingly, said, "I'll see you."

Then he was gone.

Blaise stared at the spot where Draco had just vanished. It was not that he couldn't believe it – he would probably have done the same, but how was he going to find a place to hide now? Blaise looked around the alley he was standing in. Well, he would not likely to find any answers here, so he turned around and walked slowly back to the street, where he could hear the damped sound of music again.

He started walking toward the house where the music was coming from, and when he reached it, he observed people streaming in and out on a regular basis, so he opened the door and peered inside. It appeared to be a club – a muggle club, of course – quite nice actually and big. It was filled with people and he suddenly felt thirsty, until he caught sight of some familiar faces. It was Potter! And his gang! So Draco _had_ found them. Before he could feel something like pity toward his friend for giving up so quickly, and think of a plan to confront the Trio, they suddenly came toward him – or rather the door.

He quickly turned around and plastered himself along the outer brick wall, so that they would not notice him when they departed the club. Blaise watched as his three former classmates exited the building and began walking down the cobbled street. After enough of a gap had formed between their position and his, he began following them inconspicuously. Fortunately there were other people on the street; the Golden Trio would not notice him, if he didn't want them too.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Sympathetic Me_, thank you so much for your review, this chapter is for you:**

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Chapter 3

Blaise sat in the far corner of the pub, observing his three former classmates, still not knowing how to confront them. He noted how much they were enjoying themselves, laughing and talking as if there was nothing that could harm them, and he began to rethink his intrusion. Their lives and his couldn't be any more different. Feeling neglected, Blaise began to grow angry at the situation he was in, but more specifically furious with Draco and himself. So he unwisely started drinking.

-

Ginny was on her way to the pub Harry had mentioned to her, slowly walking down the cobblestone street, enveloped by thoughts of the evening and what awaited her in the future. Suddenly she felt alone; Colin had been such a good friend and now would no longer be a major part of her life. It was not like they wouldn't see each other anymore, but nevertheless it would not be the same.

After a few more minutes walk, she caught sight of the pub and quickened her pace. It would be nice to have the company of her older friends, despite having to listen to Ron's foolish babbling concerning her well being, as he often seemed to forget that she was a grown up woman.

Unexpectedly, the door flew open and a pair of burly men pushed a tall, dark haired boy roughly out of the pub, who turned to face them, swaying slightly and taking a few steps backward.

He opened his mouth, but instead of shouting at them, he began laughing.

"What the hell are you laughing at?! What the hell is he laughing at??" One of the men from the pub started getting angry, already clenching his fists.

"Hahahaha.. you!" The dark haired boy managed to answer, between his fits of laughter.

The man from the pub looked like he was about to explode, apparently not used to being laughed at by a drunk. Ginny found this to be interesting.

Taking a step forward, the irate man punched the boy right in his face, who immediately dropped down to the street, holding a hand to his eye and slamming a fist on the ground.

"Leave him," insisted the other broad-shouldered man, seemingly nervous that the boy was going to strike back, and pulled his friend back into the pub.

When they were gone and the pub's door was closed again, Ginny slowly approached the boy sprawled upon the ground.

He groaned and turned over onto his back, his eye still concealed behind his hand. And in that instant, she recognized him.

"Blaise Zabini?" Ginny briefly thought that she was mistaken in his identity, but he reacted to her inquiry, lifting his head slightly to see who was talking to him. After studying her features for a few seconds, he began smirking and let his head fall back down onto the street with an audible 'thump'.

"The Weasley girl. What a pleasure."

"Can't return that." He looked up at her again and snorted.

"Funny." He rested his head on the ground again, and Ginny noticed his tired eyes looking up into the night sky.

"What's so funny?" she demanded. He was acting extremely peculiar.

"This situation. Never thought the roles would be distributed like this, seeing as you're a Weasley and I am… well."

At this she felt her anger grow, but kept her attitude cool.

"Everyone gets what they deserve."

He let out a short laugh.

"Sure."

"What's your problem, Zabini?" she frowned and looked a bit confused, having every reason to be. Why the hell was a Zabini, – no, correction – a wasted Zabini, lying on the ground in front of a pub and acting like he didn't give a shit? Wait a minute. He never gave a shit, yes, but there was something different about him. He would never let himself fall apart like this and not give a shit. This was not the Blaise Zabini she knew.

"What's yours, red?" he said with a smirk. Well, that was certainly the Blaise she knew. Ginny sighed and turned to leave inside the pub.

"Good bye, Blaise." But for some unfathomable reason, he didn't want her to go.

"Hey, Weasley." She continued walking towards the door, ignoring him.

"Weasley!" She was about to turn the door handle, when he became desperate and suddenly jumped up behind her and grabbed her wrist, which made her turn around again, glaring at him.

"Alright, alright: Ginny. Ginny, would you please finally stop!" He looked at her with tired eyes, swaying slightly.

"What do you want, Blaise?" she asked, annoyed, and tried to discern what he was looking at, as his eyes were unfocused and gazing at something behind her. She turned around just in time to see…absolutely nothing, so she turned back and waved a hand in front of his face.

"Blaise?" Now he frowned a bit.

"Blaise!" His eyes finally centered and he looked her straight in the face, though he still held her wrist. For a moment, he actually looked as good as ever, and Ginny found herself getting lost in those dark, deep eyes.

"What's wro.."

"I see stars," he interrupted her and began to smile.

"Stars? Oh, ehm… Well, maybe you should sit down. Come on." She guided him to the curb, helping him to sit down, and since he didn't release her wrist, she was forced down with him.

Ginny surveyed him, watching for a sign of recovery, but he just alternated between keeping his eyes closed and staring at the street in front of him, all the while not letting her go.

"Ehm, Blaise?" she tried carefully after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes?" his eyes wandered slowly down to his side, and when he caught sight of his hand holding her wrist, he let go immediately.

"Sorry," he apologized quietly, but then let out a short laugh.

"Are you alright?" she asked, and he was stunned to hear a note of concern in her voice. Why would she be worried about him – it wasn't like she was his friend. Not that his friends were worried about him either. He blinked and suddenly felt pain around his eye. When he brought his hand up to the sore spot he hissed, and jerked his hand back. All of a sudden he felt a cool hand touch his chin and turn his head ever so gently. Ginny examined his black eye and stated:

"That is going to hurt, that is." He watched her with a disbelieving expression.

"You think so?"

"Yes, most definitely," she said seriously.

"Well thank you, red, I would not likely have found that out for myself."

"You're welcome."

After a moment of grinning slightly at each other, Ginny broke the silence.

"Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" she asked, not breaking eye contact. Blaise began to look tired again, and his eyes flickered down to her mouth before he stared at the ground beside her.

"Nothing's wrong, red."

"Sure."

He looked up at her, smiling and exhaustion still haunting his eyes and lining his face.

"You better get home and get some sleep; you look like shit," she said, stroking his shoulder briefly, then pulled her hand away as if she had burned herself. Why was she touching him? They had hardly ever spoken a kind word to one another at Hogwarts, and now he was sitting there, wasted – yes, but smiling at her and actually behaving. Sort of.

Blaise merely nodded and turned his head toward his feet. Ginny stood up to leave, but after a few steps she turned around, and observed that he wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon. She considered for a moment whether to ask him if he needed help, but he would surely refuse to talk to her about it, even if it was obvious. Maybe he was avoiding getting home or perhaps he didn't have anywhere to go. Ridiculous, why should that be? He had a rich mother, a huge home, but… she suddenly thought of Malfoy – having almost the same background, but a terrible family. Something strongly resembling pity surfaced towards the boy sitting downtrodden upon the curb in front of her.

"Blaise?"

He didn't answer, so she walked back to him, and crouched down beside him again.

"Listen… ehm… do you need a place to stay for the night? I could help you out, if you'd like me to. My roommate just moved, so there's a room where you could get some rest – there's even a bed."

What was she doing? She had lost her mind somewhere that was for sure. Just say no!

"Ah no, that's fine, you don't have to worry about me," he assured, smiling at her, but looked a bit taken aback by the request when he turned his head away again.

"I don't worry," she answered, defensively, not wanting him to believe… well… whatever his Slytherin mind was concocting.

"You do," he stated and smirked down at his feet.

"I don't!" she insisted again, quickly becoming furious.

"Yes, you do. Why else would you offer me a place to sleep?" Now he looked up at her, a self-satisfied grin overcoming the fatigued countenance.

"Because I try to help people, if they need it! Nothing you would understand anything about." She mumbled the last part more to herself than to him, breaking eye contact.

"Alright then, I'll take your offer." She met his expectant gaze, her mouth opening at his unexpected acceptance. This was not supposed to happen. How did this… oh yeah. Right. Her fault.

It was his turn to wave a hand in front of her pallid face.

"What? ... Oh. Right. Okay then." she said, suddenly unsure of herself and how she was going to handle Blaise Zabini – he wasn't anything like her friends. And that was precisely when she suddenly remembered who was waiting for her inside the pub.

"Oh…"

"Oh? Are you revoking your offer?" He looked like it wouldn't surprise him.

"No. No, it's just that… I just have to… Just give me a minute, alright?" She jumped up and half walked, half ran to the pub. As they were in Muggle London and couldn't just Apparate as they pleased, Hermione had come by her car. Muggle transports were apparently good for something, besides tinkering with them like her dad did. Fortunately for her that Hermione had driven to Colin's going-away party by car, so if Ginny asked nicely, she could maybe persuade Hermione to drive Blaise and her home too.

She located her friends immediately and didn't even bother to say hello to Harry and Ron, but instead dragged Hermione away from her inquisitive friends to another empty table.

"But how am I going to get him to my apartment?" Ginny asked, shaking her head after she had recounted the story to Hermione, who reacted rather calmly. Well… after the two or three outbursts, that was.

"He is in an awful state; I'm sure he can't Apparate anywhere. And I feel a bit drunk…"

After a few moments of intense thinking, Ginny discovered a scheming side of Hermione she never thought she would see.

"There's only one way out," Hermione declared, determined in whatever she had just planned, and looked toward Ron and Harry.

-

"OUH! RON!! STOP IT!"

"Ggginny! Why'd you hime on the head?"

"Because that was my leg you just kicked!"

Hermione had had the brilliant idea of getting her boyfriend drunk and persuaded (or threatened – Ginny, wasn't sure) Harry, to help her bringing Blaise and Ron home by car so they would not ask to many questions about the whole situation.

They managed to get Ron in the back with Ginny in the middle and Blaise next to her. Harry was sitting on the passenger's seat and looking pissed.

"Ive had enuf. Where's the bloody door, I'm going there onfoot!!" Ron slurred, fumbling for the door handle.

"No, you're not!" Ginny pulled his arms away from the door.

"What is going on back there?!" Hermione shouted at the siblings, clearly worried about fratricide.

"Don't worry; I'll see to it that the right one survives." Blaise answered with a wink at Harry, who had turned around in his seat, glaring at the Slytherin. He shifted again, piercing Hermione with his intensely green eyes, while Ginny and Ron continued quarreling.

"Maybe I should change seats with Ginny."

"Absolutely not! I am not going to watch you kill each other in the back of my car! And YOU TWO SHUT UP THIS INSTANT!" At this both Ginny and Ron jumped slightly in their seats, but kept frowning. After they were sure Hermione had returned her concentration to driving, each Weasley ended the fight with one last kick, while Blaise looked out the window, trying to hide his grin.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: so. this sucks**** - i'm sorry for the long wait, I really am. normally I don't really care, because I **_**am**_** a slow updater, but it has started to annoy myself now. i'm not into this fanfic currently and was terribly unsatisfied with the beginning and this whole chapter, which i rewrote over and over again. this is the result and i hope somebody likes it. and ****thank you all for the fav's, alerts and reviews, you reminded my conscience from time to time to bugger me. ****enjoy (or not):  
**

**- ****beta: Sympathetic Me. thank you very much for helping me.**

**- warnings: furious Ron ahead. **

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Chapter 4

It could be the initial shock of meeting the other that was about to vanish.

It could also be the alcohol and/or potion starting to wear off.

And as a result of the first and second possibilities, the adrenalin could be decreasing too.

Whatever the reason was - the first, the second, the third or all of them together - Ginny and Blaise successfully avoided each other's eyes.

It was a bad idea. At least they could silently agree on that. Not that the other knew that the other knew, but they were both perfectly aware of the fact…it was a bad idea.

And they both knew that they would never admit it and back down now. Now, as they climbed the steps up to her apartment, both feeling it went too slow and too fast at the same time.

Blaise was too tired to try and find anything else for the night and decided that he would sneak out of her apartment as early as possible. He would only need a few hours sleep, a break to gather himself again and then he would be off. Figuring out a better idea. Trying to find Draco. Trying to survive another day. If it hadn't been for these impossible annoying Gryffindors fighting over something irrelevant nonstop he didn't bother listen to, he would have had an hour of sleep already. Instead he tried to remember the date when his dignity went to shreds.

_Just one night._

Ginny, on the other hand, had simply been too proud to let Harry win the argument that he overdramatized with Hermione a few minutes ago:

"He's _not_ going to stay here." Harry had glared at Hermione, not even trying to act casual, but instead showed his anger for everyone to see. One fist clenched and by his side after he had pointed over Hermione's back to the Slytherin, the other hand hovering near his wand automatically.

"Ginny can watch herself, Harry. She is not a child anymore. And he is…"

"He's a Slytherin!" Harry had looked incredulous at Hermione and kept standing in front of the door to the apartment block where Ginny lived, not letting any of them pass.

Ginny had taped her foot nervously on the ground from where she stood, arms crossed as she watched Hermione and Harry discuss her decision. And she felt angrier with her self than ever. With Harry too, of course, for obvious reasons.

She knew it was a bad idea, but it always was with the men in her life. This was the only time when she could be as imperfect as she wished. Play a role. Be whomever she couldn't and wouldn't be around her family, her friends, who had this perfect picture of her in their narrow-minded heads.

For some reason she couldn't just break free. Maybe she was simply too lazy too argue or defend herself, when it came to it. Maybe she had simply changed, grown up and was still treated by certain people like the youngest member of the Weasley family that needed protection. Maybe she felt comfortable too, in familiar surroundings, something to fall back on, if things went too out of it. Maybe she hadn't figured out what she wanted yet. Maybe she needed this double life. Indeed, she couldn't imagine choosing one side. She needed both.

And with that need came the involuntarily acceptance of her familiar surroundings constantly criticizing her about her _love_-life. When they managed to find out, that was. Not all of them. The twins had their fun of the situation, teasing her current _toy_ until he ran away. She was fine with it. Leave it to them to break up with her 24-hour-boyfriend. Less dramatic.

Two lives, she knew perfectly well how to keep them separate. And now this. He was going to turn it all upside down, if she didn't get rid of him soon again.

She had been just about to lose her mask and tell them all to… Ginny had taken a deep breath. Which hadn't helped. To top it all, it had been embarrassing, having Blaise Zabini, the great Slytherin, leaning on the car behind her, cool as ever and enjoying her misery. She was only glad that a little amount of remaining alcohol still made her careless or she would probably have run off by now.

_Just one night._

"Has he tried to kill you yet?" The discussion continued, as Hermione had raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms in front of her chest impatiently.

"No, but…"

"There you go, now let them in."

"No!"

"Harry!"

Needless to say, it had been a quite long discussion, with different interruptions and threats from her neighbours, who felt disturbed by the late quarrel down on the street. Hermione had dragged Harry from the door by his collar then, trying to talk sense to him without any listeners. The Slytherin had watched the scene with slight amusement, asking Ginny what they were fighting about without end. She had told him, they probably argued about, if he would kill her in her sleep and he had only smirked. He had looked from Ginny to the other two. Even if he long ago had decided, he'd rather stay up all night and strolling the streets before setting a foot into Ginny's apartment – if there had to be such a fuss about it, he had to admit, he rather enjoyed seeing the boy-who-lived in such misery. Now he _had_ to stay over night. Just for the sake of it. Draco would have loved this too.

The moment Harry was dragged away from the door was the moment Ginny decided to grab the opportunity to storm into her apartment building. Of course with some more objections from- and fights with Harry.

After – involuntarily and for the sake of a good night's sleep – Ginny had invited them all to breakfast (so Harry could make sure that she had survived a dreadful night with a drugged Slytherin); they finally managed to get up stairs.

The door to her apartment finally opened as she slammed her shoulder against it for the third time. At least that was a success.

She felt anxious with him around her. She needed to get rid of this trapped feeling; she could not really loose herself around him. Not in the forget-your-troubles kind of way, anyway. Maybe she should just get some sleep. Preferable dreamless.

Meanwhile Blaise didn't notice any of Ginny's nervous habits. He was thinking of Draco. He needed to let him know, somehow, where he was, without raising suspicion from Ginny. He couldn't have her find out that he used her. He couldn't have her kick him out. Although he much rather… _yeah, what do you want, Zabini? A bed tonight or fleeing from your father by foot?_

"You can sleep in Colin's old room, it is right here." He turned around to see Ginny walk into a room, turning on the light inside, so he followed her.

When he got inside, he saw she was closing a window and pulling the curtains in front of it shut. He let his eyes wander around it. It looked empty, in spite of the furniture.

"Oh!" Suddenly Ginny walked out of the room, leaving Blaise wondering what he had done, but when she appeared back with a huge pillow in her arms, he knew she was just trying to make him feel comfortable. How curious. He would never do that without any purpose in mind. Well then he had to admit he didn't know her that well. Speaking of, he blinked a few times at the wall, when he realized he was looking her up and down again. _Again? Blaise? Again?!_

He suddenly noticed they had been standing in the room for quite a while now, neither of them saying anything, Ginny clutching to the pillow dreamingly. He decided to disturb her … Whatever she was doing. "Are you going to sleep with me?"

"What?" Ginny went quite red, which made Blaise smirk, but he decided to help her out of her misery and pointed at the pillow, she was holding. She looked down at it and let out a small sigh of relief, not for Blaise to hear.

"Oh! No, no that's for you. There was none in here, so I thought you might like…" she stopped herself from babbling further and hold out the pillow for Blaise to take.

He reached for it and let it fall down on the bed, not once taking his eyes of hers, while doing so. He couldn't help himself, but taunting her was badly needed. He could see her nervousness for just a second, before she took a breath and stroke some strands of hair behind her ear, looking confident again.

"Well, goodnight then," she finally said, she was about to turn around when he spoke again.

"Where's _your_ room?"

Ginny looked at Blaise through narrowed eyes.

"I need to know, if I'm overcome by the feeling of killing you in your sleep," he said smirking, referring to Harry's argument and more or less ridiculous concern from before.

"Ah. Okay then, it's just opposite to yours," she answered dryly, which made him smirk again.

"And don't get it confused with the bathroom. It's next to your room."

"I wouldn't."

"Right." She rolled her eyes, but grinned and turned around once more to leave the room. He looked after her and let his tongue moisten his dry lips. Then he walked to the door and looked out, seeing her about to vanish inside her room.

"Hey, Red!" She turned around and waited for him to say something.

"Eh… Thanks. For…" He was not used to this and now it was her time to save him from his misery.

"You're welcome," she said and smiled at him before turning around and closing the door behind her. After banging her head against the door, ruffling up her hair for none specific reason and wishing for the next morning to never come, she finally let herself fall into bed.

-

He had lain awake for half of the night, trying to fight away the urge to take a sip of his beloved potion, trying to prove he didn't need it. _Just a few drops._

Damn Draco, he would not give him the pleasure of being right. Which he wasn't, because Blaise was just fine without it, so besides his throbbing head, the stinging pain around his eye from the blast before and the slight insomnia he was suffering from, he just tried to ignore his body screaming for just a little drop. _Just one drop._

He opened his eyes, hissing slightly due to the pain he felt around one of them, but otherwise not feeling the usual worn out feeling and heavy body. He yawned and rolled on his side, noticing that for one part it wasn't dark anymore. So he _had_ actually gotten some sleep! _Take that, potion._

And secondly, he was lying in a surprisingly comfortable bed, but there was no arm draped around his waist. Now that was weird. Normally he would get up before the girl did, so he successfully had managed to persuade them to let him stay overnight. Well, not without a return favour. …Alright, alright, he never told them he needed a place to stay, he just seduced them and used them and got what he wanted. Bloody man-whore. But now this was different. Normally he got up before them and slipped out of the house without being noticed, but he had apparently slept over. Shit.

That was when he smelt the pleasant smell of pancakes and coffee in the air. Maybe he would stay just for… No! He needed to get out of here without much drama, he was sure his head would thank him for that later.

Despite his protesting stomach, he got up and slipped into his clothes. _Huh. You have slept in your boxers. Meaning they haven't been removed. Okay._

He tiptoed to the door and opened it an inch, looking carefully outside and listened. He could hear voices, but not too clear. He stepped outside and walked slowly to where the voices _and_ the lovely smell came from. He held a hand over his growling stomach and closed his eyes. Then he heard a voice he knew. He knitted his eyebrows while thinking who it belonged to, when it hit him. Red! Weasley! Ginny Weasley! The night came back to him slowly and he sighed out of relief. He maybe didn't have to leave right away. He frowned at the thought and shook his head. The potion was clearly messing with his head. And that thought disturbed him even more.

He got closer to where he assumed the kitchen was and heard the voices of her brother, Harry and Hermione coming from it too and immediately a plan formed in his head, making him smirk for a second. Nothing's better than irritate the Weasel, he thought and walked into the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his eyes, apparently oblivious to the guests sitting by the table behind him. He made his way over to Ginny, who was working very concentrated on – apparently – not burning the pancakes; pancake-mix-kind-of-thing in one hand and wand in the other, she bit her lip, while muttering some curses and Please-Merlins. Blaise smirked again and walked over to her. As he passed her, he let his hand slide over her lower back before leaning down on the counter, turning his head to watch her. He ignored the frown and short glances in his direction from the touch and stretched.

"Mmm, you know after _that_ night, you really don't have to make breakfast for me. I'm all yours already," he said loud enough for the others to hear and straightened up. He slipped his hand on her back again and planted a lazy kiss on her cheek, _accidentally_ slipping his thumb under the hem of her shirt, just enough to stroke her skin underneath, when he heard the scratching sound of a chair being quickly moved, obviously someone getting up.

"Bloody hell! What is he doing here?!" Turned out to be Ron. Ginny's brother looked both shocked, confused and furious at he scene unfolding in front of him and his hand fumbled for his wand.

Ginny jerked her shoulder, trying to get Blaise to stop molesting her. She knew what he was up too and rolled her eyes at her brothers dramatising. Apparently neither Harry nor Hermione had told him, why they just _had_ to come to get breakfast at hers this morning. "Relax, he just stayed over night."

Ron gaped at her, before finding himself able to form words again. "And you think _that_ will make me relax? Honestly, Ginny, I-…" Ron stopped midsentence, when he saw Blaise's hand wander up her waist slowly. "Get your bloody hands off my sister!"

Blaise saw Ginny grin, and followed suit, knowing she couldn't do anything else at the moment, if she wanted those pancakes to become edible. And they better would.

"Just sit down, Blaise," she said, mocking annoyance and leaning out of his embrace slightly, trying to get him to let go of her.

"Ah, I know you liked it," he whispered into her ear, before he really did let go and turned around, trying to look surprised and not think of her blushing, when he had touched her soft skin. He smacked himself mentally on his forehead.

"Oh hello. Didn't see you there."

Hermione was shaking her head and raising her eyebrows, while Harry glared at her, sending her an I-told-you-so-look and Ron was just… being Ron. He was standing next to the table, quite red in his face and fists clenched.

"You too, Ron. Sit down." Came the voice of Blaise's favourite Weasley, who… wait! Favourite? What he meant was the Weasel that was less annoying than the others. Right. She now came over and placed a plate filled with delicious looking pancakes on the table, sitting down herself, followed by Blaise, who sat down next to her. He didn't notice her looking wide-eyed at him, before she spoke.

"Merlin! You need something for that eye?" Ginny examined it, but did not wait for an answer. "If you can wait a bit until I'm completely awake, I will talk Hermione into helping you, okay? She's good with this sort of things." She started eating, not seeing him raise an eyebrow at her. Damn. He had dealt with worse and was now cursing himself for not taking care of finding a spell to let the bruise vanish. Honestly, where was his mind?

"Ah, thank you, but I can take care of it myself." He really didn't need any help from any Gryffindors, who weren't able to control themselves. Yes, he saw the similarity - speaking of lack of control - and the fact that he actually needed this girl, or rather the room to sleep in, but chose to ignore it. Why worry about him anyway? This girl confused him. _Gryffindor_, he reminded himself for the nth-time. He ignored his thoughts and made up his mind to annoy the rest of the pack again.

"So, what are you doing here?" Blaise asked casually, not even pretending that he was interested in doing small-talk – which he was not - and nodding a short thank you to Ginny, who poured him some coffee. His eyes were almost glued to the pancakes on the table.

"We were just visiting Ginny," Harry said, sounding angry and defensive.

"Do you do that all the time?" Blaise did not look up, but raised an eyebrow nonetheless, while trying not to start drooling over the food he so longed for.

"No." Harry was now staring at the Slytherin, waiting for an opportunity to hex him into oblivion.

"Good," Blaise answered, ignoring Harry and glancing at Ginny with a small smirk, who just bit back a grin and continued eating her breakfast.

"Merlin, this is good," Hermione suddenly exclaimed, after having tasted the pancakes carefully, but only after having watched Ginny not fall down from her chair, suffering from food poisoning.

"Why does nobody believe I can make something edible?" Ginny said, waving one hand in the air in frustration, unfortunately it being the one with the fork in her hand on which she just had had a piece of pancake. Said piece was by now flying somewhere in the direction of the sink behind her. Blaise followed it with his eyes, impressed it actually landed in the sink and not on the floor or glued on the wall. But instead of them laughing at Ginny, they – or at least some of them (others still thinking of One Hundred Ways To Kill Blaise Zabini) – grinned at him, when his stomach reminded him of its presence and state.

Ginny was one of those amused, when she placed some pancakes on Blaise's plate, who immediately started to dig in - in a very Slytherin-controlled way of course.

But despite his self-control, something inside him let him forget to keep his I-have-no-feelings-mask on and he let out a moan of pleasure. "Mmmm… The best pancakes I have ev-…" Then his mask knocked politely (or furiously), reminding himself of it's presence, fighting it's way back and he opened his eyes - which he didn't remember having closed (which was probably normal when having something like an orgasm over food), and he looked around the four faces staring at him, as if he just had explained he would join the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"Uhm… Good pancakes, Red." He cleared his throat, nodded firmly and sat up straight and ignored Ginny, who tried to hold back a laugh, which was sure to come sooner or later anyway. When Hermione suddenly let out some sort of giggle and Ron and Harry rolled their eyes, both grinning, (Why now all of a sudden? Did they like to see a Slytherin fail… ah, right. Scratch that question.) Ginny finally gave up and burst out laughing, holding on to the table for support.

Blaise just tried to ignore her further, while eating his pancakes (no one could stop him now), and did not look up at any one of them, as they all were trying to regain control by now. While he was concentrating on his most favourite pancakes, his eyes flickered to his hand, which had started shaking suspiciously. He quickly changed the fork to his other not-so-shaky hand, probably from having rested on his lap calmly, and placed the bad one under the table and clenched it a few times, trying to make it stop.

He let his eyes flicker over their faces, to see if anyone had noticed, but Ginny was only wiping the tears away from laughing, while talking to Harry and Ron. Then he turned his head and met Hermione's eyes. She had seen, he could tell. They locked eyes for a moment. More than a moment. Normally he didn't have to wait that long for someone to look away from under his gaze, but this one was stubborn. They only broke apart, when Ginny asked them, if they wanted more pancakes and they had to answer her. Positive from Blaise's side, of course.


	5. Chapter 5

**beta**: _Sympathetic Me_, thank you very much for your help, you're awesome

**a/n**: another thanks to all of you girls (_snowfire81, kimonster, xVampireLoveBitesx _(oh you!)_, Sarite.93 _and_ xoxoxLoveKillsSlowlyxoxox_), who read the last chapter and reviewed =)

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Chapter 05

Before the inevitable interrogation could even start, Blaise had excused himself to the bathroom. He stole Ginny's lip-gloss (it was pink and strawberry scented) and fled through the front door, instead of returning to the kitchen like Red's brother would have expected or in his case, demanded.

They had most probably noticed that he was heading the wrong way, but he had been quick and used the moment of confusion, when Ginny received an owl from her dad, telling her that Death Eaters apparently have been seen around.

Not that his action would make him more suspicious.

He was out of the house, away from this bizarre meeting with his – or more Draco's – former sworn enemies and free of accusing and suspicious glares and glances from those Gryffindors.

Blaise was now standing on the corner of two streets, hidden half way behind some trees and looking out upon the street that opened up in front of him. He narrowed his eyes at people going in and out of houses, and the people in cars driving past, but there was nothing. He frowned upon feeling his heart rate quicken, almost unnoticeable, and decided to take a drop of his potion just to get down and calm again, so he could concentrate on this.

After having twisted the cap a few times without success, Blaise averted his eyes from the road and looked down at his hands. His fingers were smeared in pink lip-gloss. Cursing a few times, he put the gloss back into his pocket and ruffled around in search of his desire.

Draco had Apparated them to this place last night, and as Draco's third attempt _had_ led them to Potter, Blaise figured there had to be some sort of connection to this street too.

He glanced at the street sign once more before sighing, unintentionally tapping the top of his shoe up and down the paving stone.

Just when he thought the potion wasn't working anymore, he felt calmness spread throughout his entire body, the feeling in his chest disappearing with a breath.

"Finally," he muttered before licking his dry chapped lips, as he looked to the sky, blinking. The thoughts, basically all about him being in serious trouble, along with being all alone, and without a clue where to go or how to find Draco, almost vanished, did no longer seem so heavy and dark. Blaise heaved a sigh of relief.

A girl on a bicycle rode past him, and he did _not_ follow her with his eyes or notice the ridiculous short skirt she was wearing that showed her nice legs. With a smile, he began to study the houses once more. The sun was shining the wrong way for him to see inside any of the windows from where he was standing. They all looked black and shiny; he just couldn't make out a single thing.

What was the connection? Who lived here? Or had Potter just been here coincidentally too, just like in the pub; when Draco and Blaise had tried finding him again after hiding in some derelict area for some hours before feeling followed again.

Blaise turned his head and checked every open space one more time, just to make sure he wasn't being watched.

The large black dog that watched him from just some feet away, did not seem to like his presence. As it walked forward slowly, and slowing its pace still, the dog almost squinting to look up at him. If Blaise didn't know any better – did he? – he would have thought it actually frowned at him. But it definitely growled, and so Blaise glared down at it. Just until it became too much _(A mutt! Please.)_, and Blaise rolled his eyes at the sudden surge of unwanted attention, and turned around, leaving the street and furry animals behind.

"Bloody Potter," he muttered angrily as he walked down the street, hands in his pockets, knowing he could now make contact with them at any time. He knew where Ginny Weasley lived.

- - -

Meanwhile, Ginny was dealing with her own world shattering problems. She couldn't decide whether to get up from the kitchen table or not. After all it was the weekend and all she wanted to do was nothing at all.

Her friends and brother had left after they had discussed the letter her dad had sent, and also talked about Blaise's possible connection to the Death Eater sightings in the area.

Think... Thinking was appreciated.

_Blaise_

Well, it was _mostly_ appreciated.

Ginny let out a deep breath and buried her face in her hands.

What was going on with this boy anyway? Couldn't he have acted less suspicious and not ran off, especially when they had just received word about apparent Death Eater appearances?

Son of a Death Eater. Not too clever. She had seen it all before. With Draco. He had always fought simultaneously against his family as well as the side that could and would help him.

More or less, anyhow.

Some would need some serious convincing, but they'd help.

And then Hogwarts was over, they had left, Draco was gone and they never heard a word from him again...

As if they'd write letters back and forth, _'Dear Ginny, it's been a week, I miss your funny personality and I am looking forward to playing Quidditch with you and your brothers next weekend. Say hi to Harry for me. Love, Draco' _

That's it.

Ginny got up from the chair, ignoring the dirty dishes from this morning, waiting to be cleaned. As she got into her room, she narrowed her eyes at the blue boxers on the floor on the far side of her room. She let out another breath and collected them. A second later she was in Colin's old bedroom and putting the boxers on the pillow. She leaned back, her hands on her hips and smiled satisfied, before she turned around and walked into the bathroom to take a shower.

_Quidditch_

Ginny pressed her eyes close and held back an embarrassed smile at the thought of the last casting for a place in a Quidditch team she had attended to.

Maybe she should try and think of something different.

Alas, nothing else came to her mind other than the repeating thoughts about _Blaise, Quidditch_ or _Death Eaters_.

Stepping out of the shower she grabbed a towel and a minute later she was sitting by the kitchen table again, water dripping from her hair down at the floor, like the first open autumn rain fall. She frowned at the wall. She clearly needed to sort some things out, if she didn't want to get haunted by Slytherins, their families and laughing Bludgers in her sleep.

The whole night with Zabini had been so surreal. She couldn't even put all her questions in order and despite that, she knew there was obviously something wrong. The letter, Blaise's disappearance shortly after, and his whole behaviour the night before looked at in reverse told her, naturally, that he had problems. Big bloody surprise.

The question above all others, however, was probably more about: did it concern them as well? Were they in danger? What was Blaise doing in Muggle London, alone and drunk? And accepting her empty room for a night's sleep? Missing link?

Ginny groaned and rested her forehead against her arm instead, the tip of her nose touching the surface of the table.

Blaise was gone and was not her concern. He would have deal with his own problems.

The Death Eaters – those they had to watch. Be careful themselves and… there was nothing more she could do right now. Others would investigate. Ginny had her own life to handle. Which was not working out very well at the moment, or… which was working too well. As her constant goal the last years had been to get her own apartment and a job, so she could finally leave the nest and be independent, she had forgotten one important thing. One thing that always managed to take her mind off things, the one thing that she did for her own personal pleasure. Quidditch.

And yes, the last audition hadn't gone very well. Actually, it had been a catastrophe, but due to her lack of training (and free time, because someone needed to get independent very fast), she hadn't been properly prepared and… had made a fool out of herself. Oh, she had been good, but… not good enough. And as people knew her name (thanks to her connection to her Hogwarts Sweetheart Harry), she had a reputation, which she had failed. A bit.

Oh, well. Now she was practicing again, was playing with some friends and her twin brothers, who actually _were_ on a proper team. And she was enjoying it more than ever.

And above this all, she missed Colin. He was one of those rare people, she could be herself with. It wasn't that she wasn't herself around other people; it was just less exhausting with him. There was no need to impress the other, there was no need to constantly be funny or yell at them, or do something. No need for constant action or talking, no need to worry how she looked when he was around, but they could just be.

Well, mostly anyway. She could never talk with him about her sex-life. She had tried once to explain to him, but apparently he was a sworn monogamist-supporter and did not (want to) understand the deal. Even though it gave her some distraction of mind and _not_ another topic to deal with in her life afterwards, no relationships that she had to watch and work at and would fail at.

- - -

_It had actually been quite a nice day,_ Blaise Zabini thought as he hobbled down the street. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange glow around the houses. Blaise squinted his eyes at the seeming ever distancing street signs, trying to remember which way to go.

A very nice day indeed. Hadn't it been for the Gryffindors finding out about Death Eaters, suspecting him for everything that involved them, that he had to flee, the gloss on his fingers, the growling dog, the man with the knife and a desire to kill…

Blaise's breath came out a bit fitfully as he pressed his hand against the side of stomach, blood staining his clothing and skin.

He looked down at his red hand and cursed, he was ready to scream, when he thought of how much easier it would have been, had he simply given in to his family's wishes, had he just been a good boy and done what they told him to, instead of making a riot with his best friend, who had now abandoned him instead of helping him.

He could have gone home now. Home. Get cleaned up, get someone to heal his wounds, take a shower, get into bed, see his mother's smile. Drowsy or not.

Wake up in his room after a good night's sleep without having to fear for his life every single minute… more or less.

And then this! He was being chased by Death Eaters, had fought against deadly rays that could kill a being within a split second, and then this.

And then this...

Just because of his bloody potion, his bloody need for a drug that made his reflexes fade and not help him properly to defend himself; that made him calm and relaxed, when he should have been on watch and alert, _ready to defend himself!_

A potion that made him too slow to get his wand out, before some dratted guy stabbed him, because Blaise didn't give him his money.

Money!

Muggle money!

Blaise gritted his teeth together tightly, the muscles in his jaw working visibly, and clenching his fist in which he held his wand. He didn't care who saw him, who saw his wand. Right now he needed to get this wound healed, or he wouldn't make it anywhere else anytime soon.

"Hold still!" Half an hour later and with a lot less energy than before, Blaise sat on the edge of the bathtub in Ginny's bathroom, naked from his waist upwards. Which didn't bother him. What bothered him – maybe – was Ginny kneeling there in only boxers and a small top. His thoughts were jumping from this to her apparent inability to hurry up and be over and done with this.

"I'm trying to!" Blaise cast back irritated, holding one arm up to give Ginny better access.

"I can't do anything, if you are constantly flinching back! You need to sit still!"

"I am!" He frowned at Ginny's weird wand movements and quiet mumblings and the curses afterwards.

"Do you actually know what you're doing?" he asked after having watched her frown.

"Well, sort of. This is not wha-"

"-WHAT?"

She stopped her tries for a moment to sit upright on her knees and glare up at him.

"You don't know what you're doing here?!" he asked, not intimidated by her angry looks, as his matched hers quite perfectly.

"Blaise. Be so kind and shut your mouth and let me work here! You don't want me to call Hermione, who'd be ten times better with this than me…" at this she raised her eyebrows at his wound again, taking a breath and making Blaise open his mouth.

"No! Just… try… ow!" Blaise flinched and shifted away from Ginny's hand, which tried to get a hold of his shoulder to hold him in place.

"Sorry. But sit still."

"You are _not _the one being tortured!"

"Okay, that's enough." Ginny stood up and Blaise followed her with his eyes, the anger gone suddenly. She stood in front of him and glared down at him.

"What?"

""What?! I'll tell you what! I found you last night on the sidewalk, lying drunk on the ground, which I found quite odd already, but you then accepted my offer for a bed for the night, and then this morning you ran off when you heard about the Death Eater rumour. Then you come back, ten hours later, with a bleeding stab wound in your side and tell me _nothing_! I'm not allowed to call the best healer I know, and you blame me for hurting you, when all I am doing is trying to help you, because you're incapable of doing so yourself, the reason for that – I don't know! I don't know anything and still I'm helping you and all you do is SHOUT AT ME!"

Blaise watched her for a moment, waiting for more, but apparently she was done. Done and mad.

He was one second from getting to his senses and leaving this place for good, when he felt a coldness spread through his body. Better get well again, before running anywhere.

He swallowed and took a breath, feeling the sharp pain from the wound sting throughout his body and closed his eyes for a second.

When he opened them again, he glanced at his wound before looking back up at Weasley. She was still standing in front of him, arms crossed in front of her chest and eyes on Blaise's wound, instead of on his eyes.

"I must apologize. You are helping me, I'm sorry." _Heal me, heal me, heal me._ For a second, maybe longer, he thought of Imperiusing her, but that was just… a thought, really. He was in pain.

She sent him a warning look for a moment before slowly getting down in front of him again. Taking a deep breath, she raised her wand one more time.

Blaise swallowed and fixed his eyes on her breasts discretely for distraction.

* * *

**important news**: I have an announcement to make: hehem… oh well, okay. things have happened and had to be changed, since none of the characters would let me write anything else. so. from now on officially (i've even changed the summary): this is a ginny/blaise/draco story. sorry, if I'm losing readers because of this, but it has to be done this way. apparently I can't live without slash and I needed to go nuts and as this is my story, I probably had the right to. (it'll last a bit though, before draco returns)

well… surprise!


	6. Chapter 6

***Important Update (Dec. 09):  
**_hullo dear readers,  
__some people may love the news, I certainly do: __this story is under construction + temporarily paused because of this construction.  
__it's completely the author's fault, and as much as she hates it when authors do things like that to their readers it's unavoidable now. (better sooner than later, she wanted to say, but it's late anyway, so it really just sucks.)  
__for an explanation see pathetic lines below._

***pathetic-lines-below*  
**_'as I said above, I don't like it when authors do this, so sorry. but i'm very unhappy with the fic as it is and dumdumdum to make a long story short: it was the first fanfic I posted, it was rushed, the background not properly thought through, plot holes developed while posting and are now hindering the story to go where i've planned for it to go. (the last chapters were attempts of saving the story somehow, but they failed. arrggghh) __so now I've decided to give it a make-over and hopefully soon-ish (motivation, where art thou) re-post the first chapters with the (small) changes so we can finally continue the story, the real thing. _

_as I keep getting reader-alert mails (huh), I thought I'd put this up here. so, now you're informed and know why updates will be delayed._

_very sorry for the inconvenience.  
__thanks for reading.  
__xo_

_ps.: if there's something about this fic you found utterly ridiculous/annoying/stupid/weird – you are very welcome to tell me about it. (or tell me/ask something else)  
__pps.: you're allowed anonymous comments, if that makes it easier to be honest ;-) __(please remember, I can't reply to these)  
__(ppps.: put this note up on the first and last-posted chapter; don't know where people read it.)  
_***End of Important Update***

**

* * *

**

**beta:** _Sympathetic Me_; thank you again for your help =)

**disclaimer:** (imagine this in the first chapter. hem.) only thing that belongs to me is the plot idea.

**a/n:** thank you for the comments on the last chapter! I love to hear your opinion. =)

(and should you ever read this, oh dear slytherin next door, thanks for making decisions for me, whenever i drank too much tea and were unable to think.)

* * *

**Chapter 06**

Not a single word about his behaviour, no explanation, no excuse, no defence. Blaise had given her nothing, not even a smile or a smirk. And still, he had managed to stay.

Ginny eyed him under her lashes with a slight frown, as he sat on her couch; he was avoiding looking her in the eye, whilst she obviously did her best on healing the bruise around his eye, or at least making it less visible.

Yes, well, so the whole plan of … What was the plan? Well, actually it was finding shelter with someone on the otherside for some time and then… figure out another plan. Some time, not only a night. So actually, Blaise shouldn't feel bad about being back again, in Ginny's living room. Which he didn't. Feel bad, that was. Perhaps he felt bad about the idea not going as they had planned. _They, _being the keyword; Draco. Draco should have been there, not only Blaise, but...

"I'm sorry; this will not get any better." Blaise, ripped out of his thoughts, looked back at Ginny before leaning backwards on the couch, trying to get a look at himself in the mirror on the far wall. What was she talking about? There was no bruise left; everything looked as if nothing had ever happened. He looked perfectly normal. Oh. What a little-

"Funny, Red. Funny."

He shook his head at her, as she got up from the table, grinning to herself as she put away her wand before sitting down farther away, eyes again on Blaise.

Blaise lasted exactly ten seconds, before moving to get up. "Well, thank you, I'll-"

"-Sit. You'll stay." Blaise glanced over to Ginny, who was sending him a look that made him sneer at her, before sitting back down. Why exactly he did so, instead of leaving or putting some spell on her for the sheer joy of putting a spell on her, he was not sure.

A few silent minutes passed and Blaise sifted through his mind, trying to find any evidence of Ginny doing the same thing. Finally, he came to the conclusion that she was either passing the time looking for the right words, or she was waiting for him to say something.

Right words. None of them were probably interested in holding a nice conversation.

"Weasley."

"Zabini."

Blaise's lips twitched as he held back a smirk at her attitude. "How much longer do you intend on sitting here and staring at me. I have places to be."

"I very much doubt that," she answered dryly, a tense silence ensued as they went back to glaring silently at each other.

Well, she was good. Quite intimidating, if Blaise was one to be intimidated. Stubborn and patient. At least for now. He knew, she could just ask him to leave – maybe then he would even give her some information, so she would allow him to stay.

"Do you want some tea?"

He knew, she wasn't actually asking if he wanted some bloody tea. She was trying another approach, trying to make him comfortable, telling him that she was his friend and all that crap her people would use to interrogate people like him.

"Sure."

Both stayed seated for a moment, before Ginny got up without a word and walked into the kitchen.

Blaise followed her with his eyes as long as he could; he then listened to her fill a kettle with water.

Standing, he moved to join her, to have some more fun with stubborn staring contests.

As he walked passed the mirror on the wall, he did a double take and quickly ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, cursing mentally for not noticing the chaos on top of his head sooner.

When he heard someone snort behind him, he glanced past his reflection to find Ginny leaning in the doorway and watching him amused. He ignored her – too late for pathetic excuses now anyway – and continued fiddling with his appearance.

Every now and then his deceitful eyes flickered to her body, the lack of clothing showing it off quite generously.

Finally Blaise forced his eyes from his own reflection to look at her again and immediately breathed out an impatient sigh.

"Ginny!"

"What?!" Ginny asked back, with just as loud a voice as his. Did he actually look for a fight?

"Could you put some other clothes on?!"

"What? Why?" Ginny looked down at herself, arms held to the side.

"Because I'm-" _-checking you out in those and_- "I-" _-can see a lot of your beautiful legs and_- "…-You" _probably don't want to see me fight my own fingers from moving all over you in a minute. It would look weird and I'd have to make up dumb excuses, because-_

"Just. Do it."

"No!"

"No?"

"No," she said, shaking her head bemused at Blaise, who grinded his teeth together, stopping himself from continuing this senseless discussion.

"Well, I'll be off then," he said looking at Ginny, not moving from where he stood though. His eyes were stuck on her for another moment, before he could tear them away and finally turn around.

"Thank you for..." he motioned to his wounds and bruises.

"You're welcome, but where are you going?" she asked, sounding angry, whilst hurrying after him and stopping when Blaise turned around by the front door.

"That is none of your business," he said with a controlled and calm voice, his arrogance would impress even Draco.

"If it's none of my business, why do you keep coming here?" she asked, sounding just as uninterested. Furious inside, because of his unnecessary arrogant behaviour.

"My mistake, it won't happen again, I can assure you." With that he turned around and flung the door open and stopped dead in his tracks, mostly for his own protection and not so much because of the shock of seeing a fist in front of his face, ready to knock the – now open – door.

"Well, hello there," Fred said, sounding unnecessarily sweet.

"So the rumours are true," George said.

"Great," Blaise mumbled.

He took a last look at Ginny, before taking a step forward, ready to –in the worst case- elbow his way out, when they both raised an arm and lay a hand on his shoulders, stopping him.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Yeah, why don't you get inside and sit down for a minute."

"A minute or two."

Blaise looked back and forth between them before he noticed their wands pointing at him.

- - -

"I heard that he was close behind Malfoy."

"Nah, that's just rumours from the girls, swooning over them both," Fred replied fluttering his eyelashes tauntingly when he said the last part.

"Oh, not just girls, my dear brother. Didn't someone see this fourth grader come out of a bathroom on the third floor, Zabini following close behind? That Ravenclaw boy was red as a lobster."

"Maybe they'd fought."

"Maybe you're imagining things. Wait, let me ask him-"

"-He won't tell you, we need to find another way to approach this."

"Merlin," Blaise groaned and Fred slapped him over the back of the head, unfazed.

"Shut up, we're in the middle of finding out your secret and saving the world," Fred said and turned his attention back to his sibling. Blaise shifted carefully away from him on the couch, while running his fingers through his hair.

"Maybe we should-"

"-Do you want something to eat?" Ginny interrupted, and judging from the tone of her voice again, the last thing she wanted to do right now, was to serve them anything.

"No, thank you."

"Thank you, Ginny. Hey, has he told you anything?"

"No, nothing. I-"

"-He has not even brushed his hair. Hm."

Ten minutes later they were still discussing back and forth and Blaise was still staring blankly at nothing in particular, pretending to be bored. Or, well, _was_ bored.

When suddenly a suspicious loud silence developed, Blaise blinked a few times, trying to get out of the daze and let his eyes wander to the side. All eyes were on him.

"Well?" Fred or George – not the one that had hit him before – asked with a smirk.

"Well what?" He watched the brothers for a moment, before looking at Ginny, who on the contrary, sent her brothers a distinctive look.

Blaise looked from the girl to her brothers.

"Okay then," started one of the brothers, turning to Blaise and sending him a crooked smile, "You have a date with some cloaked figures tonight? Or tomorrow? We promise we won't tell anyone."

They all started quarrelling back and forth at this again, Ginny reminding George of the crossed fingers and George telling her that Blimey; he had learned to do it with his eyes instead.

The only thought Blaise could manage to distinguish from the others was where he had his potion.

"Relax, Weasleys. You're giving me a headache." Blaise closed his eyes for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest and shifting uncomfortably, instead of leaning back cockily, like they probably expecting him to do. He was starting to feel uneasy.

There was a tense moment of silence and Ginny tried to read his expression, while Blaise kept his eyes on the table in front of him and tried to clear his mind. He needed a plan right now. Right now! If he wanted to stay here for a little while longer – and he wanted to, because, to be honest, he didn't have other options. And gathering his thoughts and coming up with an ultimate plan with Draco would probably need some time, seeing as the biggest obstacle to make a plan _together_ was probably the _absence of Draco_. He would have to give her a reason to allow him to stay. His behaviour so far had most definitely been suspicious enough at it was.

_Just tell her something, a lie._

"I'm not bringing any Death Eaters to you, nor am I after you or your friends."

_Good start__. Merlin._

"What then?" Ginny raised her eyebrows at him, unbelievingly.

"I am-" Dignity_, Blaise, dignity. There should be something left of it in you somewhere._

He looked back down at the table, raising his eyebrows and his head. "I am just travelling actually."_ Ugh. Yes, you could have done better._

"Travelling," Ginny repeated dryly.

"Do you think I stay at my mother's mansion all my life, doing nothing but appear to Death Eater meetings Thursday nights-"

"-Oh, _Thursday_ nights!" George cut in and nodded to his brother, who cursed silently.

"-and making plans on erasing the entire Muggle population?" Blaise asked back, getting a bit defensive and blaming his lack of control of his emotions on the… circumstances.

_Tell her a lie._ How hard could it be?

"And all the blood traitors, while you're at it," Ginny shot back.

"I'm not," Blaise began, letting out an exhausted sigh. It was as if all the energy had suddenly left his body. He felt the blood throbbing in his head, a pain building up just behind his eyes and he just wanted to scream, fly, hide, _do something, anything,_ to make the pressure on his chest disappear. He pushed himself of the couch and ran a hand down his face, just standing there between the table and the couch and the Weasleys.

"What are you doing?"

"Bathroom, buggers."

"Hey-," Fred or George got up and when Blaise looked up, he saw it was them both and Ginny finally too, who held up an arm to stop them.

"-Let him."

And Blaise walked around them and locked the door behind him, sliding down it with his back against it until he sat on the ground and fumbled for the needed drug in his pocket. Maybe he worried, just a little, about the time gaps in between the intakes decreasing.

When he no longer thought his head would explode and that he might throw up, Blaise blinked down at his stomach. There was a little spot of blood spreading on the shirt and he stretched his legs, pulling his wand out of his pocket.

Why had he come back?

He frowned and with a quick movement of his wand and a muttered spell he stopped the wound from bleeding again.

* * *

**a/n: **a recommendation: i just read a fantastically funny ginny/blaise story, it's on the link below and 13 short chapters, I think. really entertaining. i hate my ginny, but this one in that story is just… yes! there you go: http :// peskywhistpaw .livejournal .com/ 166471 .html (just remove the spaces in between; this site won't let me post links)


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